A commonly used type of electrical terminal for connecting a wire extending from a coil to a lead wire comprises a pair of plate-like members in aligned parallel spaced-apart relationship which are connected at corresponding ends by a pair of strap members. Aligned wire-receiving slots are provided in the plate-like members so that the coil wire can be moved laterally of its axis between the connecting straps and into the wire-receiving slots. A connecting member is provided for making the electrical connection to the lead wire and may be of several different forms. In one type of terminal, the connecting member comprises a tab which extends from one of the plate-like members towards the other plate-like member so that the wire can be inserted between the plate-like members until it is lodged between the end of the tab and the interior surface of the other plate-like member.
Terminals of the type described above are produced in continuous strip form with each terminal being integral with a carrier strip so that the strip can be fed to an automatic machine which severs the terminals from the strip and inserts them into housings on a coil or the like to form the electrical connection of the coil wire. FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,908 shows a strip of terminals of this type and illustrates the manner in which they are inserted into cavities in a housing to form electrical connections with a lead wire from a coil of a motor stator.
The known types of terminals as described above are highly satisfactory from an electrical standpoint and are being used in large numbers by manufacturers of small motors, coils, and devices incorporating coils. It would be desirable, however, to provide a terminal having improved strength for certain applications in order to prevent damage to the terminal during normal handling prior to the terminals being inserted into a housing and during such manufacturing operations as electroplating. The present invention is directed to the achievement of a terminal which will satisfy these requirements.